BRITAIN MOURNS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 236, 6 October 1930, Page 9

BRITAIN MOURNS.

NATION STIRRED. Prayers for Bereaved in* A]l Churches. WORLD-WIDE SYMPATHY. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright; (Received 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 5. Prayers for the bereaved relatives were offered at churches all over the country this evening. The King and Queen joined the villagers at special prayers in the parish church of Sandringham. The congregation at Westminster Abbey knelt in silence for three minutes. The Dean said that the disaster had stricken the "whole country. Messages of sympathy are pouring in from foreign Governments. M. Doumerge, the French President, telegraphed to the King. M. Taraieu, Premier of France, and Dr. Bruening, Germany, sent messages to Mr. Mac Donald. Sidky Pasha cabled from Egypt that he was deeply moved. M. Eynac, French Air Minister, telegraphed to Mr. A F. Montague, UnderSecretary for Air, as follows:—"I have just returned from Allonne under a sense of horror and depression. We bow our heads in homage to the memory of those gallant men who are united in death." The German Graf Zeppelin flew from Friedrichshaven to Goerlitz. It halted at Leipzig, where Dr. Eckener, the commander, was informed of the disaster. He said he was too shocked to express an opinion, especially as he did not know the reason for the disaster. It is recalled that Dr. Eckener recently expressed the opinion that the British airships were splendidly built but ( somewhat heavy. . ■ This view is shared by several other German experts. Disaster shocked public opinion to great depths. It is now stated that 54 were aboard the ill-fated airship. The eighth survivor is S. Church, one of the riggers. It is expected that the eight will recover. The engineer, Bell, says that while he was conversing with Binks, another engineer, there was a sudden signal to slow down the engines, which were running at cruising speed. The crash followed a second later. " Unrecognisable." To-night 30 bodies are lying in unadorned coffins in the Allonne village schoolroom. They arrived there in farm carts. Ten other bodies are still lying in the field adjoining the wreckage while carpenters are hurriedly preparing more coffins. Late this afternoon Sir John Salmond began the task of trying to identify the victims, but had to discontinue owing to their disfigurement. He placed a tab with "unrecognisable" on each coffin examined. Relatives will be asked to come to France to assist in the task. Meanwhile the personal possessions found on or near the bodies have been placed in envelopes , attached to the coffins. This is being carried out by the British military att .ches at Paris. A hasty examination suggests that some of the victims were suffocated rather than burned to death. i- '•' p i ? ia